


Oh How The Vines Tangle

by Anonymous



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Deduedes, F/M, Flirting, Pre-Relationship, Sometime after Dedue returns, Subtext
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2021-02-25 05:01:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21571198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: He has returned, and much has changed.Her too.-Mercedes and Dedue have a talk after he returns. Expect subtle flirtations and Dedue panicking, which is always fun.
Relationships: Mercedes von Martritz/Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 22
Kudos: 133
Collections: Anonymous





	Oh How The Vines Tangle

Much has changed.

It is apparent in all that he sees. The monastery walls, its masonry cracked, with vines crawling all over. The cathedral, once proud and blinding, now crumbled and in ruins.

The greenhouse too. Its glass cracked, its radiance lost. Rare blossoms that flourished proudly five years prior, now replaced by starchy crops. Frivolities are impossible in war after all.

The people, too, have changed.

There are those who believe His Highness has changed the most. That is a false assumption. His Highness has not changed. He has just become too true to himself. That is all.

Ingrid has become both softer and harsher. She smiles in front of him–at him. It is a strange feeling, but he welcomes it, nonetheless. Still, when she is in combat, she is fiercer than a wronged valkyrie. The contrast is abrupt, to say the least, but useful in battle.

Sylvain likes to pretend that he is ‘same old, same old,’ but the horrors of war do not make exceptions for anyone. His eyes carry a bitterness, one that was always present, but has become more pronounced. His amiability has not changed, however. He is also less preoccupied with women. Fortunately.

Felix has changed the least. It is unsurprising, for he was one of the few who knew what it meant to kill. Strangely, however, he has become gentler. How or why, Dedue cannot say. All he can say that Felix would have never shared his waterskin with him five years prior.

Ashe is still kind. He cried when they met again. The memory warms his heart. Still, he too has become harsher. It is apparent in his calloused palms and in his flickering eyes, searching for any hidden weapons or enemy ambushes. It is sad, but inevitable.

Annette is as bright as ever, but even her light is flickering. There are bags under her eyes alongside puffy cheeks. One time, he found her in the pantry, sobbing. The moment of discovery was awkward and sorrowful. What he discovered soon after, however, is that her cooking incidents have not changed. He must speak with her regarding that.

And–

“I thought I might find you here.”

It is a soft lilt that calls, but nonetheless, he jumps. Then a melody of giggles float, bouncing off the glass walls of the greenhouse.

Dedue’s ears burn, and he sighs. He turns around.

“Mercedes. I did not notice your presence.”

The light shines through the greenhouse panels. It filters into shadows and reflects off her visage. It is beautiful.

Mercedes smiles as she takes light steps towards him. Curling an arm around the other, her head knocks to the side. This was a pose she often made. In the past, her long locks would follow. The short bob she now maintains merely shags. Strangely, he doesn’t miss it.

“Was there a reason you came?” He speaks.

Her gaze rests upon the greenhouse floors. Then it seeks his.

“We haven’t spoken since you’ve returned. Returned from the dead, seemingly.”

That is true. It was not intentional, however. He was merely too busy. There was much to be done. Instead of clarifying, however, his next words are blunt.

“I never died.”

“Oh, I know. But still,” she says, quiet in her voice. “You were dead in our hearts. I prayed for your peace in the afterlife, but...I’m glad it never had a reason to be fulfilled.”

His eyes drift to the flowerpots beneath his feet. It is an easier sight than the pain in her eyes.

“What were you doing for these past five years? I imagine it must have been difficult, being away from Dimitri for so long.”

His lips tangle in a knot. The question is so simple, but five years cannot be so easily summarised in a way that would both satisfy the inquirer and a man of few words.

“The circumstances were straining.”

So, he offers ambiguity.

He glances towards her. Her brows are furrowed, and so he sighs in resignment.

“My injuries were grave. It took two years for me to recover to the point of self-efficacy. The rest were filled by responsibilities. Obligations.”

“Oh? ‘Obligations?’“

Mercedes hums. It is a strange hum. One that expresses amusement and yet does not at the same time. Confusing. Her next words serve to be completely perplexing.

“Did you have a lover?”

He shuts his eyes and groans. Why does everyone ask that?

“Please. Nothing of the sort.”

Soft chuckles leave her, and her hand rises to cup her cheek. “I see! That’s a relief.”

Her last words linger on his mind, and there is a lull in the conversation. He usually prefers silence, but this is not true silence. Unspoken words float through the air - there is subtext there that he does not whether he wants to read into.

His feet shuffle and his hands itch for a topic. He finds one.

“You cut your hair.”

Small talk. It is a weakness of his, but less so than reading into hints of something more.

She blinks at his choice of topic. Then, a small smile.

“I did,” she says. There is a pause before she continues, a finger intertwining with a careless lock. It is too short to tangle. “Do you...not like it?”

It is the tone in her voice that confuses him more than the question itself. As if she is expecting something of him. He does not know what she is searching for. He hopes honesty will suffice.

“As much as your previous length.”

A finger to her chin, Mercedes gives a noncommittal hum.

“Hm...I see.”

Dedue frowns. That did not appear to be what she wanted. He pauses for thought.

“My apologies, allow me to clarify,” he says, “I see no difference in your appearance. Frankly, you are just as beautiful as ever.”

It is only after the words leave his mouth that he realises that he had just said something he should not have.

Mercedes’ eyes are fixed on him and her expression is empty. Dedue wishes that the Albinean fly plant from five years prior had survived - it would have been perfect to throw himself into. But then, a collection of chuckles greet his ear.

He looks up to meet her.

Her chuckles are more like giggles, actually, being girlish and bashful. Her cheeks also– she always wore blush, but somehow it looks flusher than usual.

He stares, because she is a sight to behold.

“My goodness, Dedue!” says Mercedes, the chuckles still leaving her. She approaches him, and her hand brushes his shoulder.

His skin burns.

“Such flattery. Have you been speaking with Sylvain?”

Mercedes’ voice is sweet as she speaks, and her eyes gaze sweetly into his.

He can hear his heartbeat in his eardrums. This is not good.

“Nothing of the sort,” he says, too quickly, and he takes two step backwards. He places his hands behind his back and regains posture. Calm. “...and it was not flattery. It was honesty. Too truthful, perhaps.”

“Oh, not at all. It made me happy.”

He nods in reply. There is silence between them, but not like before. It is ticklish and fuzzy. So invasive is it that he tugs his scarf and shuffles his feet. It is a foreign feeling.

“...We’ve missed you. Thank you for coming back to us.”

Again, there is subtext. The plural is singular, he knows. But it is not right to address it. The timing is off.

“By the way, Dedue, I never had the opportunity to teach you my family recipe.”

He glances upwards as he searches for the memory. Right, she had promised that.

“That is true.”

“And you never finished the story of how the sky god and earth god reconciled.”

“I did not.”

“Well,” he says, before clearing his throat. He offers her his hand. “Shall we?”

A smile blossoms on her lips.

“Of course.”

She takes his hand.


End file.
